Principal Firmware Engineer (Security)

Axiado Corporation; Hyderabad; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 8,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Axiado is seeking a Principal Firmware Engineer to lead a skilled team while remaining deeply hands-on in embedded software development. You will drive security-focused design, implement Secure Boot and RoT, and oversee cryptographic signing and secure provisioning processes.

The role demands strong C/C++ expertise, 20+ years in embedded systems, and the ability to mentor engineers while delivering secure, scalable firmware solutions.

Qualifications

• 20+ years of embedded software development experience.
• Strong background in C/C++.
• Experience leading firmware teams and hands-on contributor.

Responsibilities

• Lead and grow a firmware team while code reviewing and solving low-level challenges.
• Architect end-to-end embedded security, including Secure Boot and RoT.
• Implement attestation schemes (SPDM) for device authentication and provisioning workflows.
• Design and maintain cryptographic firmware signing, secure update pipelines, and revocation mechanisms.
• Diagnose hardware/software and cryptographic failures using JTAG, GDB, and logic analyzers.
• Collaborate with security, hardware, and system architects to drive roadmaps and open-source projects.

Skills

Team Leadership

Hands-on coding

Security architecture

Problem solving

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in CS/EE/Cybersecurity

Tools

JTAG

GDB

Logic analyzers

Yocto

Buildroot

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Principal Firmware Engineer to manage a talented team while remaining a highly hands-on technical contributor. You will lead the design, development, and optimization of highly secure embedded systems. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in Secure Boot, attestation schemes such as SPDM, secure provisioning, cryptographic firmware signing, and key/certificate revocation mechanisms, alongside strong knowledge of RTOS, Linux kernels, device drivers, and bus protocols. This "player-coach" role requires exceptional problem-solving skills to diagnose and resolve complex hardware-security interactions, as well as the leadership abilities to guide, mentor, and manage a high-performing engineering team.

Key Responsibilities

• Team Management & Hands-On Contribution: Lead, manage, and grow a team of firmware engineers while remaining a core individual contributor. Dedicate a significant portion of your time to writing code, conducting code reviews, and resolving low-level technical challenges.
• Security Architecture & Boot Flow: Architect, develop, and optimize embedded software solutions with a primary focus on end-to-end platform security, including Secure Boot, hardware Root of Trust (RoT), and verified boot pipelines.
• Protocols & Provisioning: Implement and manage attestation schemes such as SPDM for device authentication and remote measurement, alongside secure factory and field secure provisioning workflows.
• Firmware Signing & Lifecycle Management: Design and maintain cryptographic firmware signing infrastructure, secure update pipelines, and robust revocation mechanisms (such as anti-rollback counters, key revocation lists, and certificate revocation).
• Debugging & Security Analysis: Diagnose and resolve complex hardware/software and cryptographic failure modes using advanced debugging tools (JTAG, GDB, logic analyzers).
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with security experts, hardware engineers, and system architects to define roadmaps and deliver scalable embedded security solutions, while contributing to open-source security standards or embedded projects.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Cybersecurity, or a related field.
• Experience: 20+ years of experience in embedded software development, featuring a strong foundational background in C/C++.

Job Requirements

• Team Leadership: Proven track record of managing and leading engineering teams while maintaining an active, hands-on role in software development and system architecture.
• Security Expertise:
• Proven experience with Secure Boot, Root of Trust (RoT), and cryptographic security principles (symmetric/asymmetric cryptography, hashing, digital signatures).
• Hands-on implementation experience with attestation schemes such as SPDM for hardware authentication and platform measurement.
• In-depth knowledge of secure provisioning methodologies, HSM (Hardware Security Module) integration, and secure key storage.
• Robust understanding of firmware signing workflows and lifecycle revocation architectures (e.g., CRLs, embedded validation, fuse-based key revocation).
• System Software & Hardware: Extensive experience with RTOS, Linux kernel, device drivers, and hardware bring-up using Board Support Packages (BSPs).
• Protocols & Interfaces: Strong grasp of peripheral interfaces (SPI, I2C, UART, USB) and bus protocols (PCIe, Ethernet), with PCIe root port and SR-IOV knowledge being a strong plus.
• Toolchains & Build Systems: Familiarity with Linux build frameworks such as Yocto and Buildroot, alongside low-level debugging via JTAG and GDB.
• Preferred Domains: Experience with Baseboard Management Controllers (BMC) and hardware security accelerators.

Axiado is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Axiado does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.